ArizonaGuy

I would expect it to be ready around June, our winters here are usually very mild, but even Skyscreamer didn't open until then, or it may have been very late may. I'm pretty familiar with the mild winters San Antonio gets....I'm a former San Antonian and ex-SFFT employee. I'm not even gonna compare the construction time of Sky Screamer or any other ride to nRat just because many attractions have opened at different times. SKC opened right at the beginning of the season in 2000 as did Boomerang and Scream in 1999. I was just saying there is obviously a lot to do in 9-10 months considering NTAG took over a year to complete the revamp if I'm not mistaken.

^^ Interesting point about the tunnel. As it is now, it is a very tight fit and the trains that sit on the IH track do sit up higher. I wonder how they're going to pull this one off. All of a sudden I'm having this feeling that nRat may not open in May (or if on SFFM time, July) as I thought it would and might be a 2014 coaster. Hmmmmmm unless they're working 7 days a week and have multiple projects going at the same time. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

^^ Leads me to wonder if they might keep the helix footprint for a quick single or double banked helix. Geez I wish they would just announce the revamp details already!

Based off whats happening now, I'm sure the first drop and fan curve are going to remain somewhat the same (as far as foot print is concerned) so there's not really going to be much demo on the first section other than "remodeling" like they did with NTAG's first lift, drop, etc. The second half of the ride (helix) is going to be complete demo and completely new. Since there's a lot of open space up there on top of the cliff I'm thinking we're going to be seeing a whole new expanded middle section of the ride. (just thinking this based on what's happening now where they're "separating" it from the rest of the ride before they bulldoze). 9 months until May 2013 so i guess there's ALOT that can be done in that time. Can't wait for our spies to get some pictures for us!

^^ In all honesty......SFKK could have added something else other than Greezed Lightning and still had an attendance decline. Just because they added a used coaster doesn't mean that was the cause of SFKK's attendance decline. If you're saying a flat ride would be better than a Boomerang.....I'd say give it a chance. A new coaster, although used and a little old is still gonna be an asset no matter what IMHO just because people see that as something BIG. ehh oh well...we'll just have to see how it plays out. Wish the best for SFStL.

I'm sure if the iron horse treatment.....or any treatment for that matter is going to happen, I'm sure a lot is going to start right away. Now that it's confirmed that a part of the helix has been removed I'm sure it won't be much longer before we see some major demolition in full motion. September is just around the corner so I'm sure Six Flags will be announcing something big in the next month or so. Silver Dollar City's Outlaw Run is gonna be SICK!!! I can only hope there's going to be some wickedness coming to SFFT in the reborn Rattler.

Absofreakinlutly amazing. I can't wait to see how this turns out!!!!

Oh trust me, I'd never move to St Louis just for the sake of SFStL. I always take trips to Southern California so it's easy to get my coaster fix on. Living in the desert can totally suck balls but the cool thing is that it's a major hub for Southwest and Usairways so I can pretty much get anywhere on a nonstop flight.

^^ No probs it's all good. I used to feel like SFFT got overlooked by the chain but it seems like SFStL has been overlooked a little more lately.....but not as bad as SFA as was pointed out by someone else. LOL I agree there are some nice coasters at SFStL......American Thunder is my favorite. The Boss was my favorite before that but it's really starting to show it's age. I think it's still nice if they get a Boomerang than nothing at all.

Hmmm....I forgot about them so I guess SFA is the most neglected. In any case, SFStL needs something bigger and better than a used Boomerang but oh well.....something is better than nothing.

Yup.....that's exactly what I said. Castles and Coasters is GREAT! It's melting in the HOT AZ sun as we speak. I actually prefer Wet N Wild though. SFAW used to be my home park, then I moved to San Antonio so then SFFT and SWSA were my home parks....and now I'm in this crappy ass state of AZ. Sorry if I offended but it seems like SFStL is the most "mistreated" of the Six Flags parks in my opinion. Hope they would get more but it seems that Six Flags really isn't interested in investing too much $$$ in that park. The best attraction in the past 5 years or so was EK. I guess Boomerang is better than nothing and the GP will still eat it up!

^^ Here is the pic of the last train.

Eh....We'll just have to see. Everything about the coaster is still functional no matter how old it is and no matter if there's another Boomerang at some other park in the area. SFStL could use the extra coaster anyways. I'm sure all they'll do is get a new Vekoma train for it, slap some new paint on it and there you go, new coaster for dull park.

I rode SOB in 2008 in the very front and I liked it a lot. I guess I'm in that .01% of people who are sad to see it go but I'm sure it will eventually be replaced with something better.

Yeh Sky Screamer opened Memorial Day weekend I believe or around that general time frame. I remember back in the mid to late 90's when I worked at the park and we had some pretty huge crowds at times. Back in 1997, RoadRunner Express didn't open until the beginning of July(should have been May but there were issues with the lift hill motors).......and on July 4th it didn't open until around 7:00pm that night because of some technical issues with control panel.(I was working Rattler panel that day) I havent been to the park in years but if NRAT opens up next year, I'll be there for sure. And yes....I'm Arizonaguy from the sfftnet.com website. I like to keep it streamlined.

Yeh Sky Screamer opened Memorial Day weekend I believe or around that general time frame. I remember back in the mid to late 90's when I worked at the park and we had some pretty huge crowds at times. Back in 1997, RoadRunner Express didn't open until the beginning of July(should have been May but there were issues with the lift hill motors).......and on July 4th it didn't open until around 7:00pm that night because of some technical issues with control panel. I havent been to the park in years but if NRAT opens up next year, I'll be there for sure. And yes....I'm Arizonaguy from the sfftnet.com website. I like to keep it streamlined.

Creeping on NRAT is going to be great. So many vantage points around the outside of the park to "legally" creep from. I'm sure construction is going to start pretty fast if they're expecting to have it open by 2013. If April 2013 is their target, they've got 8 months.....but they can always pull a SFMM and SFDK and open it in June or July. LOL j/j I guess we'll just have to see

As sad as it may be, I could totally see Six Flags sending Flashback to SFStL. I'll totally LMAO if they decide to name it Goliath and I totally wouldn't put it past them either. Seems like over the last several years each park as has been getting a coaster from somewhere else in the chain so why stop there. Six Flags America- Iron Wolf from SFGAm Six Flags Fiesta Texas- Batman the Ride from SFNO Six Flags Great Adventure- Chang from SFKK Six Flags Magic Mountain- Roadrunner Express from SFNO Six Flags New England- Deja Vu from SFMM and Road Runner Express from SFKK I think thats it......

So when NTAG was redone, was the whole station and queue redone or was it just cleaned up? I really couldn't see them taking the whole station down to redo it again unless it gets moved as part of the redesign.

^^ Yup, that's exactly why the queue was made that way. Can't fit through the aisle then you're probably not gonna fit on the train. But of course there are people who go all the way up sideways then get all pissed off when they can't ride.

Here's some good footage from Shane's Amusement Attic. It's the park opening from 1992 and has some really good Rattler off ride footage. It's crazy to see how even the fan curve after the first drop has changed a lot over the last 20 years as well. Don't know how to embed so here's the link Foward to 1:18. That's where the Rattler footage starts.

^^ The 1992 version was great. I rode it my sophomore year in high school and the first drop was amazing as well as the 2nd drop into the tunnel. Love how there were no trims on the way in or out of the helix. I can't wait to see what they do with the it.

Here's a news story from the San Antonio Express News http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/article/Fiesta-Texas-famed-Rattler-is-going-silent-3694324.php#photo-3173937

My understanding is that it's closing early this year to start the refurb that has long been talked about. I personally don't think they would get rid of their only wooden roller coaster. Let the buzz begin!

Awesome!!! Can't wait to see more details on this!!!